LONDON- England have dropped lock Charlie Ewels from their 25-man squad for Saturday’s Six Nations match against Scotland at Murrayfield.
Ewels, who started England’s 24-17 defeat by France on Sunday, has been replaced by Joe Launchbury who was ruled out of the French game by injury.
Winger Anthony Watson will miss the Scotland match after failing to recover from a calf injury.
“We’ll give him the opportunity to get over it 100% before we give him the go (ahead),” forwards coach Matt Proudfoot told the BBC. “He won’t be available for the weekend.”
England coach Eddie Jones will also be without centre Manu Tuilagi, who injured his groin and was taken off after 16 minutes in Paris.
France took a 24-0 lead to leave World Cup runners-up England reeling and lock Courtney Lawes said his team needed to look at the All Blacks as an example when things did not go according to plan.
“We have some serious experience… We know we’re good when we get the game plan right and we’re executing,” Lawes said. “But now we need to work on when things aren’t going to plan, where we go to next.
“We need to be better at identifying where we’re struggling and adapting to that situation to get momentum back, where you’re struggling to get anything from the referee or a bounce of a ball, how can you gain back that control.
“That’s what New Zealand do so well, so often. So many times they’re on the back foot for the first 20-30 minutes and they can find a way to swing it around, get momentum and get their gameplan going.”
Australian Jones will name his team to face Scotland on Thursday.
England are fourth in the Six Nations standings while Scotland are fifth.
Forwards:
Luke Cowan-Dickie, Tom Curry, Ben Earl, Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Maro Itoje, George Kruis, Joe Launchbury, Courtney Lawes, Lewis Ludlam, Joe Marler, Kyle Sinckler, Will Stuart, Sam Underhill
Backs:
Elliot Daly, Ollie Devoto, Owen Farrell, George Ford, George Furbank, Willi Heinz, Jonathan Joseph, Jonny May, Ollie Thorley, Ben Youngs
(Content and photos syndicated via Reuters)